Latest news with #UAPRailway
Business Recorder
02-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Pakistan, Afghanistan push ahead with UAP rail project
ISLAMABAD: In a bold bid to reshape the geopolitics of Central and South Asia, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi dialled in a high-stakes phone call on Sunday to push forward the game-changing Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Line project. The proposed 573-kilometer rail link, stretching from Tashkent through Kabul to Peshawar and connecting to Gwadar and Karachi ports, carries a projected cost of $4.8 billion. It is poised to serve as a vital artery linking Central Asia's landlocked economies to international markets, potentially turbo charging economic ties and fostering deeper regional connectivity. According to a statement from Foreign Office, the two ministers agreed on the urgency of finalizing the framework agreement swiftly for the UAP Railway project, reflecting a shared commitment to cementing this infrastructure vision. The dialogue follows Dar's recent conversation with Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister Saidov Bakhtiyor Odilovich to coordinate final details for the project's forthcoming signing ceremony. Pakistan, Russia, CARs: meeting on UAP rail plan likely on April 23-24 Beyond infrastructure, the phone call underscored a parallel diplomatic thaw. Afghanistan's Amir Khan Muttaqi welcomed Pakistan's recent move to elevate its diplomatic mission in Kabul from chargé d'affaires to ambassador level – a gesture Kabul has pledged to reciprocate by upgrading its envoy in Islamabad. Both countries have been maintaining embassies headed by chargés d'affaires, a reflection of strained ties over decades marked by mistrust and conflict. 'This is a very positive development,' Muttaqi said, framing the diplomatic upgrade as a milestone in the 'brotherly countries'' evolving relationship. The mutual embassies' upgrade follows similar steps by China, the first nation to accept an ambassador from the Taliban-led government, and the UAE, signalling a cautious but tangible international shift towards engagement with Afghanistan's new regime. Both the ministers also reviewed progress on a slate of agreements from Dar's April visit to Kabul, reaffirming their commitment to fostering mutual trust and cooperation in a region historically fraught with geopolitical volatility. As Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan move forward with this massive rail project and diplomatic rapprochement, the moves may herald a new chapter of connectivity and stability in a part of the world long challenged by division and uncertainty. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Arab News
31-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan's deputy PM discusses trans-Afghan railway with Uzbek foreign minister
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar held a phone call with his Uzbek counterpart on Saturday to discuss steps toward advancing the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) railway project, including the framework agreement and its signing mechanism, said the foreign office. The UAP railway is a trilateral initiative aimed at enhancing regional connectivity by linking Central Asia with Pakistan's southern ports of Gwadar and Karachi through Afghanistan. Envisioned in 2021, the project is expected to improve trade access for landlocked countries and bolster economic integration in the region. 'Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, held a telephone conversation today with Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister, Saidov Bakhtiyor Odilovich @FM_Saidov,' the foreign office said in a social media post on X. 'They discussed the modalities for early finalization of the framework agreement for the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Line Project, including details of its signing ceremony in consultation with leadership of Afghanistan,' it added. The conversation came a day after Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to upgrade diplomatic relations, with Islamabad announcing it would elevate its chargé d'affaires in Kabul to ambassadorial rank. Kabul said it would reciprocate the move. Ties between the two countries have been tense in recent years, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan's Taliban administration of harboring militants involved in cross-border attacks, leading to a deportation drive against undocumented Afghan nationals. The Taliban have denied facilitating any violence inside Pakistan and criticized the deportations. Efforts to ease tensions between the two neighboring countries also gained momentum in recent months. During a trilateral meeting with Chinese officials in Beijing, Pakistan and Afghanistan announced plans to exchange ambassadors. Afghan authorities have also said Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is due to visit Pakistan 'in the coming days.' The UAP railway, first agreed in February 2021, envisions a 573-kilometer track linking Tashkent to Peshawar via Kabul, with an estimated cost of $4.8 billion. The project faces significant logistical challenges, including security concerns in Afghanistan and the need to reconcile different railway gauges across the three countries. However, Pakistan has already sent agricultural consignments to Uzbekistan last year. Implementation of the UAP railway is expected to further deepen trade ties among the three nations.
Arab News
25-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan, Uzbekistan hope to finalize framework agreement for 573-km railway line via Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday discussed the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) railway line project with his Uzbek counterpart Saidov Bakhtiyor Odilovich, the Pakistani foreign ministry said, adding the two figures expressed hope the project's framework agreement would be completed soon. The $4.8 billion Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan railway line is an extensive project with the objective of creating a direct railway link between Uzbekistan and Pakistan, passing through Afghanistan's territory. It aims to enhance trade and logistics efficiency by establishing a 573-kilometer rail connection that would connect Termiz in Uzbekistan to the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar via Afghanistan's Mazar-i-Sharif. The project is part of Pakistan's efforts to position itself as a key trade and transit hub, connecting landlocked Central Asian states to the global market through its strategic location. 'Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar today held a telephone conversation with the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Saidov Bakhtiyor Odilovich. The two leaders discussed existing bilateral relations, particularly Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Line Project,' the Pakistani foreign office said. 'They expressed the hope that framework agreement for the regional connectivity project will be finalized soon. Views were also exchanged on current regional situation.' The three neighboring countries signed an agreement to build the regional connectivity project in February 2021. Dar also visited Afghanistan in April this year and discussed the project with the Afghan Taliban rulers in Kabul. Pakistan is seeking to leverage its strategic position as a key trade and transit hub to connect Central Asia with global markets and since last year, there has been a flurry of high-level visits, investment discussions and other economic engagements between Islamabad and Central Asian republics. Pakistan and Uzbekistan have also been working toward optimizing cargo flows, establishing green corridors at border customs points, and digitalization of customs clearance processes to facilitate smoother trade operations.
